We are currently building a home and are getting close to closing. The wife and I really like the vanity mirrors that have the frame around them, however once our countertops got installed we realized that there are electrical outlets where we want the mirror to go.

Are there any good alternatives to using the mirror outlet covers (which we can't stand)? I believe electrical code specifies that you must have at least one outlet within 36" of the outer edge of the sink. Our vanities are quite long (>70" and our plan was to put full length mirrors on them.

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I believe electrical code specifies that you must have at least one outlet within 36" of the outer edge of the sink.

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Correct. (NEC 210.52D). The receptacles don't have to go in the mirror wall. If the lavs in your countertop are within 36" of a side wall, they could be moved to the side wall. Recepts can also be installed in the backsplash of the counter below the mirror (facing you, not face up), or on the face of your cabinet (provided it is not more than 12" below the height of the basin).

Thanks UnderoosAg. I was wondering about the backsplash.

A lot of people are using hanging mirrors. If you hang a mirror over each sink, there would probably be room in the middle for an outlet.



[This message has been edited by powerbiscuit (edited 2/6/2012 1:11p).]

I have one in the mirror, it has a mirror for a cover plate and it doesn't look all that bad.

But, if I had been involved in the planning of my bathroom I would do the separate framed mirrors.

[This message has been edited by AggieGunslinger (edited 2/6/2012 1:38p).]

Cutting a backsplash for a receptacle isn't terribly hard compared to finding a cover that coordinates with the color/pattern in some cases. I've seen some good ones...and some butt ugly combinations. The two mirror direction seems to open up more options on the decorating and the practical location of stuff side.

The trouble with DPCV in a mirror is not the coverplate so much. It's more in choosing the color of fixture [u]under[/u] the coverplate.

Which is limited to the colors of GFCI fixtures available.

As a decor/design element, the thing to consider is what the cords for the appliances will look like, not the bare fixtures and plates.

This is where getting power inside the case work can be handy--a power strip in a drawer can be very handy, if the drawer is sized for it.

Thanks all for the info. We have discussed putting the power inside the drawers, and I'd really prefer this if it does work out. I do like the look of the hanging mirrors. We have two separate vanities, so I was concerned that a hanging mirror that was significantly shorter than the vanity length wouldn't look right.

Having done this before, and actual outlet (DPCV) in a moving drawer can be a pain (despite being hugely convenient, too).

That's because you need a thicker back of the drawer than is standard. And you need a bit of armored cable to connect the power to that fixture. Which needs to be end-user disconnect-able when applied to a drawer.

What can work better is a power strip mounted in the drawer, that just "plugs in" under the sink. While not near as clean as the outlet-in-the-drawer, it's really an appliance rather than an electrical fixture--which is simpler.

If you are going to cover the space with a mirror, putting it in the backsplash(where it should have been to begin with)would not be difficult.